Gas turbine governor



March 1951 G. M. HOLLEY, JR.. ETAL 2,545,698

GAS TURBINE GOVERNOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 16, 1947 INVENTOR.

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e. M. HOLLEY, JR, ETAL 2,545,698

March 20, 1951 GAS TURBINE GOVERNOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1947 a; M15222, 5 Jr:

14/: Orr Jr.

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 2O, 1951 2,545,698 GAS TURBINE GOVERNOR Geor e H lley, Jr ssc f i t and Andrew William '()r ,..-.Ir., Det t, Mich assicnors o George M. Ilollcyand Earl Holley Application April 16, 1947, Serial No. 741,908

7 Claims.

' "The object of this invention is to regulate the speed of a gas turbine. Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional elevation ofthe preferred form of our invention.

Fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional elevation taken on the plane 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing a detail of the manually operated control valve.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional elevation taken on the plane 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing another detail of the manually operated control valve.

Rig. 4' shows a modification of the acceleration bypass valve; v p I Fig 5 is an alternative showing aimodifloation Of the acceleration bypass valve.

Fig. 6 is another alternative showing a modification oi the acceleration bypass valve.-

Fig, 7 shows the inter-connection between th speed control and the fuel control.

In Fig. 1 h .fuel is contain d in the tank 1 s2,

flows along the passage 146,, past the pump I50 to the fuel entrance I!) and flows past the first balanc d constant pressure valve l2. This balanced constant pressure valve I2 is carried by a diaphragm m. The sprin it messes with this diaphragm l4, Pipels connects theich mbcr 2.0,

above the diaphra m l4 to the fuel ,uischarge passage 22. Fuel escaping p-astthc valve [2 flows through passage 24 which conveys fuel to th return passage 26 to the tank I62. v

.Fuel flowing past the valve 12 flows through passage 2:8 to the inside of the hollow valve .311. Triangular port 32 admits a variable Quantity of fuel to thepassage 33,. Thisouantity is determined by the position of the valve .30 which .is manually controlled.

. Fuel-flows, from, the ,ma-nuallycontrolled valve to the second balanced valve .35, mounted on the diaphragm 38 which is su ported by the light spring 40;- Spring 40 may be omitted. Fuel which :escapesthrough valve 3.6Lf1ows .downthe pipe 22 to the turbine. In order to maintain a pressur .in-the passage 22 a pressure responsive valve L52 is located as shown. The acceleration bypass valve 52, is controlled by means responsive to the atmospheric pressure conducted through t e Pipe 11. The atmospheric pressure is. applied o th chamber as contaimng the evacuated el ows 45,

the .iconiprcssion spring 418 and the adjustment 9.511.. When the atmosp er pressure f ls the bellows sfi'expand and theservomotor valve 1,64 'fises uncovering the ports l 61l'6'3. The pres sure inpassage 34 is admitted to the chamber "515 which is greater than the pressure in chamber 1578 which is connected thIOllgIl'jJhB restriction 1 it with the low pressure passage 24. "Valve 52 is thus free to move in response to this pressure difierence in order to restore the balanced condition in which the pressure difference between chambers 55 and 58 just balances the pressure exerted by the spring 54. The balance valve 52 is thus moved up uncovering the path leading fromthe passage 34 to the passage 24. "Passage -24 communicates with the return passage 26. Hence, the more the valve 52 opens the less .is

the quantity of f-uel that is discharged through the discharge passage 22. A compression spring 54 engages with the valve 52.

To prevent any surging the chamber 56, below the valve 52, and the chamber 58, above the valve "52, communicate with the passage 24 through the restricted openings 66 and 62. These restrictions make the movement of the servomotor valve I64 small before the valve 52 responds.

The speed of the turbine is regulated by a governor, the essential elements of which are shown on the right hand side of Fig. l.

A gear pump '64, driven by the turbine, discharges hydraulic fluid through the venturi 66 -from the tank '86. A diaphragm B8 is subjected on its lower side to the pressure in the throat of the venturi 6B, which pressure is transmitted through a restriction 1.0. The low pressure in the chamber 22, below the diaphragm '68, is to a certain extent neutralized by the cylindrical valve 14. Cylindrical valve 7.4 .is pushed up by the evacuated capsule 16, at high altitudes, so that the pressure drop in the venturi :66 is not so effective at high altitudes at a given turbine speed.

The chamber 18, above the diaphragm 68, communicates with the low pressure side of the oil pump 64, past the manually controlled valve '80, controlled by the cam 2, and-the lever 84. The lever '84 may be linked to the valve 30 through the link -83 so that the fuel valve is opened as the speed is increased. "When cam 82 is rotated anti-clockwise the valve is opened and the chamber fi s-placed in a moreaor-less restricted communication with the chamber 86, which is the low pressure side of the oil pump 54 and is substantially at atmospheric pressure.

The pressure in chamber ll increases asthe speed increases by the flow of oil under pressure through the restriction 88. At all speeds the diaphragm so, spring 94 and port '82 maintain-a pressure in the chamber 18.

A regulating valve 9-6 is moved in response to pressure differences between the chamber 12 and the chamber 18. This valve 96 is located at the junction of the fuel passage 98 and the fuel passage I00. When the valve 96 descends, because the pressure in chamber 18 exceeds the pressure in chamber 12, then the flow down passage 98, along the passage I to the discharge passage 22 decreases and suddenly ceases. Pressure in the chamber 42, above the diaphragm 38, then rises because there is then no drop through the restriction I02. The flow through the restriction I02 determines the pressure in the chamber 42. The pressure in the chamber 42 determines the opening of the balanced valve 36.

The flow through the restriction I62 is derived from the passage I04. The flow through passage I0-4 flows through the port I06 in the valve 30, as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 shows the connection from the inside of the valve 36 through the narrow port I06 to the semi-annular passage- I06. Semi-annular passage I99 communicates with the passage I82.

The needle valve I20 controls the minimum flow of fuel past the valve I2, along the inside of the valve 30, and along the passage I22 to the outlet passage 22. The fuel flowing through the passage I04 divides and a portion goes through a passage I26, past the restriction I26 into chamber I28 and applies pressure to the upper side of the piston I36 and compresses the spring I32. The chamber I34, below the piston I38, is connected through the pipe I48 to the fuel tank I62.

The remaining fuel goes through the restriction I02 as described above.

The valve 96 engages with the pins I36-I38- I46. A small diaphragm I62 is located between the valve 96 and the pin I36. The chamber below the diaphragm I42 is connected through the passage I65 with the low pressure oil tank 86. The chamber above the small diaphragm 142 is connected through the passage I50 with the fuel tank I62. The small diaphragm I52 is located between the pins I38I .0. The chamber on the upper side of the small diaphragm I52 and the chamber on the lower side of the small diaphragm I42 are both connected through the passage I44 with the low pressure oil tank 86. The

chamber below the diaphragm I52 is connected to the pipe I50.

A spring I54 pushes the valve 96 down. A

' spring I56 pushes the valve 96 up. The spring munication with the passage I I8. When the passage H8 is in communication with the passage I I9 valve H9 is open because there is a sudden drop of pressure through the restriction H4.

The valve I I 0 thus opens and the pressure in the pipe I0 is released past the valve I I0 into the return pipe 26. The valve H0 is normally supported by the spring II 2 in the position it is shown.

.- In Fig. 4 thevalve 52 is shown together with the restricted communication 60 connecting the chamber 58 with the passage 24and the restricted communication 62 connecting the chamber 56 with the passage 24. Servomotor valve- I64 and the ports l6 lI 63 function as before.

In addition constant pressure valve I is added. A spring tends to open this valve. This spring is adjusted by an adjusting screw I12. The high pressure tending to close this valve I1. is communicated through the passage I84 connecting the high pressure passage 34 with the left face of the piston I10. An adjusting screw I controls the flow through a bypass I86 from the passage 34, with the passage I88 immediately to the right of the valve I10, and to the left of the valve 52.

'Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 with the addition of the two restricted passages I16 and I18. Restricted passage I16 places the chamber 58 in restricted communication with the high pressure passage 34. The restricted passage I18 places the chamber 56 in restricted communication with the high pressure passage 34.

Fig. 6 shows the escap passage 34 connected with the fuel discharge passage 22 instead of being connected to the discharge passage 33.

The lever 84 in Figs. 1 and '1 is shown connected by the link 83 with the lever 85 projecting from the end of the fuel valve 30. The right hand end of the link 83 engages with the right hand end of the lever 84. The lever 84 controls the position of the cam 82. The position of the cam 82 determines the position of the speed regulating pin 88.

. Operation In the operation when the valve 30 is in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the low speed needle I20 is admitting a small quantity of fuel to the passage I22 and the triangular port-32 is admitting a small quantity of fuel to the passage 33. The port I06 is open as shown in Fig. 3. The drop of pressure across the triangular port 32 is regulated by the diaphragm 38 and by the spring 46, when a spring is used. This produces a definite flow of fuel which varies with the area of the port 32' which is opened by the rotation of the valve 30 and also by the drop of pressure across the triangular port 32-controlled by the valve 36.

The speed of the turbine depends upon the amount of fuel supplied. Hence, as the valve'30 is opened the speed increases. The top speed at which the turbine is held is determined by the rotation of the pump 64 which is driven by the gas turbine. v When the speed is selected by the lever '84 th diaphragm 68 responds to the pressure difference created in the throat of the venturi 66 as modified by the position of the valve 14 which depends on the atmospheric pressure which exists in the oil tank 86. The atmospheric pressure acts on the evacuated bellows 16 to increase the leakage past the valve 14 at high altitudes.

Assuming that the pre-selected speed has been reached, at that moment the valve 96 closes. The

effect of the closure of the valve 96 is to increase the effective area of the diaphragm 68 by the area of the end of the valve 96. The reason for this is that when the valve 96 closes the pressure exerted by the valve 96 downwards on the diaphragm 68 increases so that a greater'pressure difference between the'venturi 66 and the pressure admitted through the restriction 88 .is

7 required .to reopen the valve 96. The effect jof closing this valve 96 is to establish the pressure "in the diaphragm chamber 42, above the diaphragm 38, equal to the pressure in the passage 104, that is to say, the pressure upstream of the orifice 32. The valve 36 closes and the how of fuel down the passage 22 andu to the burner decreases at a rapid rate. Normally the speed then would fall below the governed speed, the diaphragm 58 would move up because of the reduction in speed reducing the pressure drop which acts on the two sides of the diaphragm 68, and the speed of the gas turbine would fluctuate or hunt.

The function of the piston I30, the variable chamber I28 and the spring I32 is to prevent such hunting taking place. The sudden descent of the pin I40 into the chamber I58 increases the pressure in the chamber I2 8, despite the fact that the chamber I28 communicates with the chamber 42 through the passage I24. The restriction I26 thus acts as a brake on the displacement of liquid into and out of the chamber I28. The result is that the speed is held at a definite value and the object is to make this speed the speed at whichthe valve 95 first commences to move from its wide open position. This produces isochronous control of the speed.

When, the valve 30 is closed the port IBIS is also closed, as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time, as shown in Fig. 2, the semi-annular depression I2l places the passage H9 in communication with the passage II8. This places the pressure below the valve H at such a low value that the spring H2 is no longer able to hold the valve I III in the closed position.

In Fig. 4, by reason of the constant pressure valve I10, there is at all times a constant pressure drop from the passage 34 to the passage I88. By reason of this constant pressure drop the variations in the pressure in the pipe 34 and the variations in the pressure in the pipe 24 do not influence the operation of the device.

The restricted passage I 86 insures that there is a minute flow bypassing the valve 52 when the valve 52 is closed.

In Fig. 5 a constant pressure valve is also used and has the same function.

In addition the restricted passages I16 and 113 modify the action of the acceleration bypass valve 52. I

Fig. 6 shows the alternative connection for the flow through the acceleration bypass valve 52. Passage 34 then communicates directly with the passage 22 downstream from the valve 3-6.

What we claim is:

1. A fuel control device for a gas turbine having a source of fuel under pressure, a pressure regulating valve therefor comprising an escape outlet, a valve therein, a moving wall connected to said valve, a spring engaging with said wall, means for exposing the movingwall to the pressure drop in said fuel control device, a manually selected variable fuel orifice located downstream of said escape outlet valve, a second pressure regulating valve located downstream of said variable fuel orifice and adapted to produce a variable pressure drop across said variable orifice, a fuel outlet leading from said second pressure regulating valve to said gas turbine, a second fuel escape outlet passage located downstream from said variable fuel orifice and upstream of said second pressure regulating valve, a partially open throttle valve in said fuel outlet passage, barometric means connected to and adapted to increase the opening of said throttle valve at the higher altitudes.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which there are additional pressure regulating means associated with said throttle valve adapted to maintain a constant pressure drop at said throttle valve.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which there are speed responsive means responsive to the speed of said gas turbine associated with said second pressure regulating valve adapted to reduce the pressure drop at said fuel orifice at high speed.

4. A device as set forthin claim 3 in which there are means associated with said speed responsive means for rendering said means isochronous.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which there is a speed responsive means consisting of a source of hydraulic fluid, a pump connected to said source driven by said gas turbine, a venturi through which the fiuid discharged by said pump passes, a second moving wall responsive to the pressure drop in said venturi, a valve controlled by said second moving wall, means adapted to reduce the pressure drop across said variable fuel orifice at a predetermined speed, said means being associated with said second pressure regulating valve.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which there is a speed responsive means consisting of a source of hydraulic fiuid, a pump connected to said. source driven by said gas turbine, a venturi through which the fluid discharged by said pump passes asecond moving wall responsive to the pressure drop on said venturi, a cylindrical valve controlled by said second moving wall, a fuel passage in which said valve reciprocates connected upstream of said variable orifice, a restriction in said passage controlling the pressure drop at said second pressure regulating valve, a passage leading from said cylindrical valve downstream of said second pressure regulating valve, a cylindrical piston of equal area to the area of said cylindrical valve and located on the other side of said moving wall, means for applying low fuel pressure to said cylindrical piston.

7. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which there is a speed responsive means consisting of a source of hydraulic fiuid, a pump driven by said gas turbine and connected to said source, a venturi through which the pump discharges hydraulic fluid, a second moving wall responsive to the drop in pressure in the throat of said venturi, a cylindrical shaft concentricall arranged on said second moving wall, a valve on one end, a fuel passage in which said valve reciprocates, said fuel passage being connected upstream of said variable orifice and downstream of said pressure regulating valve, a restriction in said passage, the pressure downstream of said restriction controlling the variable pressure drop across said variable orifice.

GEORGE M. HOLLEY, JR. ANDREW WILLIAM ORR, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,219,994 Jung Oct. 29, 1940 2,405,888 Holley Aug. 13, 1946 2,419,171 Simpson Apr. 15, 1947 

